AGF Accuses Governor Fubara Of Tele-Guiding Militants To Attack Pipelines In Rivers State

The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, on Wednesday, accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara of tele-guiding militants to sabotage critical national infrastructure in Rivers State.

Naija News reports that the AGF made this statement while justifying President Bola Tinubu’s recent declaration of a state of emergency in the state, citing the ongoing political crisis.

Fagbemi claimed that the governor had not only failed to act against the militants but may have indirectly encouraged the attacks.

He alleged, “We are in a democracy, so now there were what I will call telegraphing of the militants, I will say, by the governor. And the reason I said so was when he began, he said oh, he will let them know when it was time to act to the militants.”

The AGF further questioned whether the governor had ever distanced himself from the militants’ actions, stating, “Did he come out to disown them? The answer is no. And a week after, they swung into action, you see or witness vandalization of oil pipelines.”

Fagbemi also emphasized the importance of protecting the nation’s oil infrastructure, noting that Nigeria heavily relies on oil exports.

 “For anyone to touch the pipeline, he is not only an enemy of Rivers but Nigeria,” Fagbemi said, underscoring the gravity of the attacks on such critical national resources.

The AGF linked the state of emergency to the Supreme Court’s judgment, which he said was the legal foundation for President Tinubu’s action.

According to Fagbemi, the political instability in the state, particularly the inability of the governor and the state legislature to provide a stable environment for governance, necessitated the suspension of Fubara, his deputy Ngozi Odu, and members of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Addressing critics of the president’s swift response, Fagbemi rejected accusations that the state of emergency was hastily imposed.

“People were living in fear while others were dying,” he stated, further arguing that the extraordinary circumstances warranted such a drastic measure.

He also rejected comparisons to previous cases where the Supreme Court ruled on similar state of emergency declarations, insisting that the situation in Rivers State was unique and required immediate intervention.

In a final remark, the AGF suggested that the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State also served as a cautionary message to other states.

He implied that the government could impose stricter sanctions if similar political instability and security challenges arose elsewhere in the country.